Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-21
OLIVES LOVER.
fCornhiu.l

smith oil q man who lived o double life,
adding TO his more material existence
second, and 40 far as he was concerned
equally real, existence in dreamland.
Unlike the visions of others. his dreams
followed one another in well continued
series, till he only woke TO eat, drink,
and loiter away few harsh hours on
earth before plunging once again into
the scenes Of his ideal life. He loved.
wooed, and that successfully, the fair
lady OF his dreams. They lived to-
gether in happiness till an unto
ward fate snatched her from
him, and he remained alone
and widowed. Under such circum-
stances as these his lot became too
hard to bear. When awake no was I'M
married and lonely when asleep, DESC
late and widower. Gradually hi.
strength failed him, and though he still
continued TO alternate between one life
and the other, the melancholy which
filed bis sleeping hours pressed upon
him with such heaviness that one
morning when they came to waken
him he was found dead. One mystery.
OF course, history cannot solve. Did
he die in his dream or did he cease
dreaming? But without waiting for
answer to such question we may lay
the moral to heart, and remember not
to lie on our backs when we go to bed.
Thus much 10y prelude.
1t was in the suburbs of one OF Our
large northern towns that the family
lived which provides the heroine OF
A. - No,1ortncr frD,,, 10
noisy highway there ran quiet lane.
shaded TO gloom with high trees, which
hid the houses from the pasSers.by.
One of these houses was the residence
of doctor with large family, and
still better, with large practice.
Many as the children were in number,
the real centre of the household was
fixed in the person Of the second daugh-
ter, Olive. Her sisters. indeed, were
good enough and pretty enough 10
serve as attraction for many lawn
tennis party, but she seemed to stand |
apart from them rather by certain in
definable charm OF manner aud power |
Of social sympathy than by reason of
any peculiar gift OF beauty. To such |
she could scarcely lay claim, and
though not deficient in intelligence,
she gained no reputation as wit, |
while she failed in most of the little |
practical enterprises which she under |
took. Yet despite, and perhaps almost !
in consequence of these deficiencies |
she continued to rule her sisters and pa |
rents. and so to madden the hearts of |
ali the youth OF the suburb that they |
went in their multitudcs to all the |
places where she played tennis, and ex-
pended their hard earned mOneyin bOu- |
quets when the neighborhood ventured |
on its somewhat miniature balls. Yet, |
notwithstanding nil this, she. at least, |
remained heart whole and free. So |
often had she to exercise her prerOCl- |
tive OF rejection that il seemed hardly |
possible that she would ever be able to I
fly in the face Of habit by answering q |
suitor in the affirmative.
For some time before the beginning
Of our story There had been little Of
note in the annals of the family. One
sister had been married aud another
become engaged, but Olive lived on.
conten,cd and HAPPY, oftencst. indeed,
quietly at home, hut sometimes making |
short rounds Of visits among friends.
On hoI return from one OF these
short tours of courtesy her manner
seemed Us though it had undergone a
change. The old quiet was superseded
by ftful restlessncsS, and though she
was still lively at times she loved best
to seek Out quaint paths in the sur
rounding country, where she might
wander unObseryed and unhurried. She
would come in from her rambes flushed
and bright. and then would join gayly
in the outbursts OF mirth so common
in q large family. But the cause OF
the change was soon revealed. One
morning she had wandered into the
lane before breakfast, and when she
came back she had brought the usual
budget of letters, which she had taken
from the postman at the gate. There
was one which she had hidden in her
pocket, only to rest there for time,
since no sooner was the meal over than
she darted off to read it in private, but
shortly afterward returned to her mo-
ther with her version of the old, old
story.
1t ran in this wise: While staying at
Swansea with some friends she had
met young man, barrister. They
had fallen in love, but he, as he had no
means Of bis own, had striven, appa
rently with success, to conceal his feel
iDgs; and so they had parted without
any understanding, and indeed. nc
cording to her, without any knowledge
of their mutual attachment. But now
change had come in his fortunes A
distant relative had died in New Zea-
land, leaving him heir to his sheep
farm, which report had exalted to a
most fabulous value yet even after
every method Of discount had been eX-
hausted there still remained enough t.
make him a very wealthy man. Nosooner
did he receive the news than ne wrote >
hasty letter to Olive, in which he be-
sought her to be his wife. lie would,
indeed, have come down to the North
himself. but the condition IN which the
estate vas LETT made ii Necessary for
L;In 10 t2te short trip out, while the
rtrCs.i.y OF settling bis Affairs AMI
making a few preparations rendered
iLc few hours still remaining before the
fcv6itGre Of the overland mail fT too
= CIs 20 ALLOW OF is absence. 1t was
fne, manly letter, and the few words
,ha; accompanied it addressed to the
prrcits made them hesitate in their re-
scive TO refuge or postpone their con-
sent til lc could ak 1t in person.
thus it Was that on the eve Of his de-
per,ure he received letter which gave
him the answer be wished.
IhCncofor:h he was swept on IN his
IICpais;ioas by q hurricane OF joy, and
yet, being prudent AID barris:or, un-
lurloned by too many 6riefs, ho cll;i-
waited an acquaintance with solicitor /
ard made his will. This, at least, he told |
her. and the reason which he assigned |
was hardly snch as to ease fond heart,
for be wrote that he wished to leave |
her everything he had, in case an acct |
dent oi some kind should overtake !
him. Tut love was not much damped |
Ly such forebodinas. and Olive seemed
content with the written VOWS OF ar
den, love, though the ocean widened
between her and her receding lover.
But LOW her very lie was transform
lin